


Ashes to ashes

by Pilux



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: War of the Thorns | Burning of Teldrassil, World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2020-04-11 23:21:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19119796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pilux/pseuds/Pilux
Summary: Anon on Tumblr sent in the following prompt: Khadgar's reaction to the burning of Teldrassil. Does he try to save as many lives as he could? Or does he just sit back and watch the tree and its inhabitants burn and if he does, would he have a heart and feel remorse for the many innocent lives that were lost or is he a heartless bastard and pretty much say "They had it coming."?





	Ashes to ashes

By the time Khadgar had learned of Darnassus, it was already too late.

White ash softly drifted onto his black feathers as he watched the city burn from the treeline hugging Darkshore. His heart ached as the loss of so much life at the hands of a conflict very few on Azeroth wanted. 

Being viewed as a potential enemy to the Horde in Silithis simply because he was human, and his counsel not being required by the Alliance once the Horde had started to move due to his involvement with them just weeks prior told Khadgar everything he needed to know.

The leaders of Azeroth did not see worth in him, in banding together for the better of Azeroth, and any sentient being that did not take up arms with one side or the other on the battlefield would be crushed and destroyed by the faction war machine. 

His heart ached for the friendships forged during the fight against the Legion that was now sending former heroes of Azeroth to the stockades, interrogations, into hiding, or broken by betrayal. 

Azeroth was bleeding, dying. Both the Alliance and Horde knew that draining the blood of Azeroth would destroy the world faster then they could destroy each other. He was not surprised that Goblins would jump on the chance for mone, and he did not blame Sylvanas for being antsy, especially after what Greymane did in Stormhiem. 

But oh, oh. When the races of Azeroth leached the blood of their world to kill each other, what would be left for them to conquer? Would the faction left standing, prepped with the weapons forged from life and blood, with the knowledge of the stars, become the next Legion? Moving from world to world, draining them of their souls and blood? He had seen the lust in the eyes of the Alliance and Horde when transported to the alternate Draenor. They both wanted it for their faction; he had heard their comments. Even with Pandaria, the warnings of the Pandaren about the Sha did not stop the fighting. It did not stop the death of hundreds and the destruction of an ancient vale. 

As hot as the ember winds were while they kissed his feathers and beak, he knew the heat paled in comparison to what those doomed to burn in Darnassus would have felt before turning into ash. He knew that some of the ash covering the trees and sand and shore would have cremated remains mixed in. He knew that eventually, new life would spring from these ashes so long as the world was able to live long enough to heal.

He could hear fighting in the distance, but he felt no need to investigate, to watch. There was nothing he could do. If either side saw him as an enemy to be conquered, they would march upon Karazhan, and that was a place that did not, and could not, belong in the hands of those who would seek mass destruction with the knowledge tucked away. 

Khadgar was grateful that neither side had thought to take their weapons and turn them on Karazhan. Light save them from whoever dare try first. He was sure that any wards placed by him or Medivh would not stand up against the very essence of Azeroth herself. 

He cawed mournfully, reminding himself of his duties. If the children of Azeroth would not take care of their world, then he, Magni, and the Cenarion Circle would have to work extra hard to heal her. 

The sad fact of it was, the loss of Darnassus affected individuals, but not the world herself. The loss of Undercity did not harm the planet’s soul any further. Neither event helped to heal, and it would only get worse from here, but both could be rebuilt. Life could be restored. 

Regardless, had he had been here, he could have least aided, if secretly, in the evacuation of the city. He wondered why Jaina hadn’t been here; it was curious timing for her to have been elsewhere. Khadgar glanced up at the warm clouds blocking any indication of the time of day. A peculiar coincidence, no doubt. Fate perhaps? Was this destiny at play? 

What was it that Murozond had said? That he had seen the true end of Azeroth, and his dark future was a blessing no one else could comprehend?

The light lies, the void lies, but could time lie? Was the feeling of choice in being able to change the future an illusion? Were each possible futures completely separate timelines; each line determined long in advance? Only changeable by those who had the power to see it? He surmised that the knowledge of how Azeroth is to fall must be what eventually drives Nozdormu mad. He turned his head to the south, to where Sargeras plunged his sword into the heart of Azeroth. That monster started his Crusade with admittedly, the intent to save worlds from Old Gods. As…brutal as his methods were and the harm it caused, it was all sparked by a desperate need to keep worlds away from the dark ones.

Had Sargeras seen Azeroth fall to corruption?

Was Azeroth already….?

He turned his head back to the sounds of fighting, heart sinking.

Both factions would easily give up the life of the world if it meant killing the other side. Sargeras did not split a bond between the people of Azeroth; he gave them the means to destroy each other and kill Azeroth before the Old Gods could infect her.

Sargeras had won.

The temptation was there, ohhh, was the temptation there. To fly to the sword, take in the power pooling around the fissure, power that had not been seen on the surface of Azeroth in 10,000 years. He could end it all, the faction wars, he could put a stop to the fighting right here and now and - no. No, no, no no.

As noble as that action may sound, he would not become the next Azshara. The next Murozond, the next Sargeras. 

He would continue to work on healing the world, on convincing as many champions from the war against the Legion as he could to use their abilities to stop the essence of Azeroth from being consumed.

It would take a lot of work to convince the many neutral races and groups on Azeroth to fully commit to one side. Not even all Goblins were Horde; not all Pandaren had chosen one side or the either.

And he, would never, EVER, call himself a hero of the Alliance ever again. A part of him wished Stormwind would take that foolish statue of himself down. 

Khadgar shook his head to get his thoughts back on track. The fighting was closer now. With a quick ruffle and shake, he flew off in the direction of Silithis to converse with Magni. The likelihood of him being recognized in these woods was….slim. But the possibility of getting attacked for looking like some Druid spy was higher. At least until he shifted back, but still, Horde would see his presence as a threat, Alliance would see it as a betrayal for not saving Darnassus. 

 

The warmth from the flames lingered on his wings for quite a while before he entered the heat of the sun and air that was still fresh and unaffected by the blaze. The sword of Sargeras already in his eyesight although it was still hundreds of miles away. His feathers almost looked as though they had begun to grey from age due to the stubborn ash that clung to his black feathers despite him being airborne. 

What was the future that Time had seen? What was the destiny written in the stars? Why had Elune turned away that day, what whispers were waiting in the tides? There was something amiss as Azeroth bled, something was fanning the flames. Was the Scourge on the move? Was the Black Empire returning? Had the Titans decided that despite everything, the people of Azeroth had to learn the price of defeating their constructs in Ulduar to preserve this world as it was? 

Who else was benefitting from the leaking Azurite? Could it restore enemies long defeated? 

Too late, too late, Khadgar cawed in fear. Too late, his heart cried.   
He knew that the answers he sought would come too late. 

For neither faction loved the world they were fighting over.


End file.
